Rich W Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 The recent thread about making the transition from a Les Paul to a Strat is interesting. And it inspired me to dig through my book and magazine collection to see what some of the pros have said about it. Jeff Beck: In the late 1960s, he was playing a burst in the studio but began to substitute a ‘54 Strat, in part, because it’s “a hardier touring instrument, and easier to repair.” (p. 91, Beck bio, Crazy Fingers). “The Strat’s a good stage guitar. Technically, it’s a b*tch to play, but it slices through the atmosphere with its highs.” (Nov 1975, Guitar Player). “I don’t really use Les Pauls. You wind up sounding like someone else with a Les Paul. I think I can sound more like me with a Strat.” (Oct 1980, Guitar Player). David Gilmour (Nov 1984, Guitar Player): “I love Les Pauls, and what people can do with them, but I can’t really get on with them that well. I use a Strat because I’m comfy with it. The sound and feeling I like best just happens to come from Fender.” Tony Iommi (Oct 1974, Guitar Player): Likes a Gibson neck and fretboard more than a Fender. Easier to bend notes. Robin Trower (April 1974, Guitar Player): “I always felt there was something missing on Les Pauls. They had a good fat sound, but they never had that ‘musical’ sound. When I played a Strat, I realized that it had that strident chord.” Frank Zappa (Jan 1977, Guitar Player): “I use Fenders and Gibsons for things they’re good for. The Strat has a drier sound. More of an acute, exact sound. And Gibsons have more of a sweat-hog type sound.” Richie Blackmore: “I prefer the sound of a Strat because they have more of an attack-y sound. A Strat is harder to play than a Gibson. I don’t know why. I think it’s because you can’t race across the Strat’s fretboard so fast. With a Gibson you tend to run away with yourself. It’s so easy to zoom up and down the neck that you end up just playing scales or chord shapes rather than really working for an original sound. Overall, playing a Fender is an art in itself, because they’re always going out of tune.” (July 1973, Guitar Player). “The transition was really hard. I found great difficulty in using a Strat the first two years. With a Gibson, you just race up and down, but with a Strat, you have to make every note sing or it just won’t work.” (Sept 1978, Guitar Player). Eric Clapton (July 1985, Guitar Player): When asked whether the Gibson is still his ‘blues’ guitar: “In some respects, yeah. When I get up there onstage, I often go through a great deal of indecision, even while I’m playing. If I’ve got the black Strat on and I’m in the middle of a blues, I’m kind of going, ‘Aw, I wish I had the Les Paul.’ Then again, if I were playing the Les Paul, the sound would be great, but I’d going ‘Man, I wish I had the Strat neck.’ I’m always caught in the middle of those two guitars. I’ve always liked the Freddie King / BB King rich tone. At the same time, I like the manic Buddy Guy / Otis Rush Strat tone. You can get somewhere in the middle, and that’s usually what I end up doing, trying to find a happy medium. But it’s bloody anguish.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JellyWheat Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Thank you very much for posting this interesting cross-section of opinions from the "great ones". It is excellent food for thought! [FWIW, I agree with just about everything...]. J/W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 I've always been in the "use what works, for the song/style" camp. Sometimes, it's a Strat (or Telecaster), sometimes a Gibson (SG, Les Paul, ES-335 or equiv.) And, sometimes, a Rickenbacker (especially (for me), the 12-string). That's why, "I" could never own, just one type. But, they're all right...Strats do make you "Work," for it! Even more so, than a Telecaster. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JellyWheat Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 I dunno, CB... IMO, nothing makes you work harder than a Telecaster when yer having an "off night"! [... and Lord knows, I have PLENTY of those!] Regards, J/W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 I dunno, CB... IMO, nothing makes you work harder than a Telecaster when yer having an "off night"! [... and Lord knows, I have PLENTY of those!] Regards, J/W LOL...well, I'm only stating from "my" experiences. Tele's are (to me) much easier to get the tone(s) out of, that I like, than a Strat! But, maybe I just like "Tele" tone(s) better, to begin with? Who knows? CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vincentw Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 I was waiting for one of them to say: "I didn't want people to hear me anymore." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 ....Frank Zappa (Jan 1977, Guitar Player): “I use Fenders and Gibsons for things they’re good for. The Strat has a drier sound. More of an acute, exact sound. And Gibsons have more of a sweat-hog type sound.” .... Yes, thanks for effort in putting those quotes together Rich. The Zappa comment is where I'm at. . B) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morkolo Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 LOL...well, I'm only stating from "my" experiences. Tele's are (to me) much easier to get the tone(s) out of, that I like, than a Strat! But, maybe I just like "Tele" tone(s) better, to begin with? Who knows? CB That's the way I am too. Fender really nailed it when he made that guitar... unlike a Strat every position on a Telecaster sounds great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitaxe Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Personally, I couldn't do without my Lester at least being on stage with me. I have a Tele, and i love the thing, it's so versatile and full sounding. But I just feel kinda exposed without my Les Paul at hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Hello guys! Many great players who started out with Gibsons, ended up playing Fenders as they got old. A heavy Gibson causing them pain in their shoulders, but a much lighter Fender is more comfortable for them. But they just don't want to admit that they are getting old, and coming up with all these tales above (kidding). Seriously: every guitar is different, just as every musician, and different songs need different sounds. No use to start a Chevy-Ford-war about guitars... Cheers... Bence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JellyWheat Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Hello guys! Many great players who started out with Gibsons, ended up playing Fenders as they got old. A heavy Gibson causing them pain in their shoulders, but a much lighter Fender is more comfortable for them. But they just don't want to admit that they are getting old, and coming up with all these tales above (kidding). Seriously: every guitar is different, just as every musician, and different songs need different sounds. No use to start a Chevy-Ford-war about guitars... Cheers... Bence HAY! Just a cotton-pickin' minute here! OLD?... are you calling me OLD? How lucky are you feeling today, anyhow? Old, INDEED! Hrrrrmmmph! J/W <_< Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 HAY! Just a cotton-pickin' minute here! OLD?... are you calling me OLD? How lucky are you feeling today, anyhow? Old, INDEED! Hrrrrmmmph! J/W <_< Hello! Excuse me, I didn't meant to offend You or anyone! (I am not young either - at least not at heart!) But seriously, must be something true in my statement: what other logical reason can be behind the fact that people drop their LPs into the basement and pick up a Strat. Cheers... Bence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 I'm OLD (LoL)...But..all I did, was change straps! From a regular guitar strap, to a neoprene (stretchy) strap! WHAT a difference! Now, even my very heavy Les Paul Custom, feels great! My Strat, is a "feather," now. BUT, I DID NOT give up any of my Gibson's! CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morkolo Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 I'm OLD (LoL)...But..all I did, was change straps! From a regular guitar strap, to a neoprene (stretchy) strap! WHAT a difference! Now, even my very heavy Les Paul Custom, feels great! My Strat, is a "feather," now. BUT, I DID NOT give up any of my Gibson's! CB I have one of them for my Ventura, it weighs a ton. Makes the rest of my guitars/basses feel like featherweights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 Hello Stevie Ray! Sure! That's what I said in the last sentences of my post. The first part supposed to be a joke. Cheers... Bence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malchik Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 I love strats but can't stand their tremolos. I wish Fender would make hardtails again, I'd be the first to buy one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 I prefer the Tele over the Strat, I really enjoy my FSR. It has surprisingly good sustain - excellent for clean or mildly overdriven bluesy tones. I would gladly buy a Strat too, but not until I don't have all the Gibsons I feel lust for (too many to list :)). Cheers... Bence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motowntom Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Malchik, I to hate trems, but you don't need a hardtail. I have two strats and I just did the Clapton mod, wich is to block the trem. Works great, no more tunning issues and great sustain. The issue I have with my strats are the control placement, I always am hitting the vol. knob when strumming. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eracer_Team Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 Also I might point out that production of Les Paul's (as we know them) weren't produced for most of the 60's when many of those 'great' guitarists were young and most active in traveling. So they either played an almost 10yr old Les Paul at the time or they went with the company that was pretty much producing the same two guitars since 1952 in large quantities. And at a cheaper price than the Gibson's of the day. And that other company had the amp's to match up as well.. Not many playing Gibson amp's; but of course that other company had many amp's including the Bassman. I think the music took them in a direction they wanted to hear. Eric Clapton who was noted for Gibson's (esp the Les Paul of the YB and Blues Breakers) but switched to the strat when he was trying to make a fresh start and kicking heroin. He now has several signature Strat's over at that company. Joe Bonamassa who primarily was a strat player has said the music has taken him to the Les Paul where Gibson has graced him with at least 3 signature models I can think of. And Joe likes them so much he's bought 2 - 1959 burst's in the past year and a half. I think its about sound that makes you play one or the other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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